Operation: New Penguins
by Writtenwoes
Summary: Two new penguins move in at the zoo, and they're female. But are the boys getting in over their heads when one of the new penguins stirs up Kowalski's emotions and the other can run with the big dogs? And how will it all end?
1. Anna & Millie

Alright, before I begin, I guess I should say a few things. First off, this is my first fanfiction, so PLEASE review! Next off, I do NOT own the POM or any of the characters I write about here (besides my Anna and Millie) but I also use some song lyrics and titles. I don't own those either; all credit goes to the respective owners. But enough of that! Go ahead and read my story, and don't forget to tell me what you think!

On the way out to one of their missions, the penguins encountered a large, clearly marked crate on their own doorstep. It was wooden, and stamped in red, bold letters.

"What the…?" Skipper took a step back, since he had nearly face planted into the carte upon leaping outside. "Kowalski? Analysis!"

Kowalski whipped out his clipboard, and began pacing around the box, making notes. "It would appear that Alice has left us a box, Skipper."

"I can see that, Kowalski. I need you to tell me what's inside it."

"Then we should open it." Kowalski replaced his clipboard, and put his hands on his hips.

But suddenly, from inside the box, they heard a noise. At first, it was muffled, and sounded like scuffling. But then they leaned in a bit closer, and words were distinguishable.

"…us out! Hey! Can anyone hear me?"

The voice was feminine, yet very bold and loud. The men recoiled.

"It's a penguin!" Kowalski cried out.

"We should let it out, Skippa! What if she's afraid of the dark?" Private wrapped his flippers over his head in sadness and woe. "The deep, deep dark."

"Affirmative, men. Rico, crowbar!"

"GACK!"

Skipper braced himself against the box, and strained his muscles against it. Instantly, the box side fell away, revealing a dark and seemingly vacant inside.

And then, out into the morning sunlight, stepped a female penguin. She was pretty, yet she looked tough and dangerous. Her head feathers were ruffled and blown over her right eye, and her beak was pursed. Her eyes, sharp and green, probed them all. "Where are we?" she asked, in curt English with a slight accent.

But before they had time to catch their breath, she turned around and hollered into the dark crate behind her. "Anna! Get out here!"

"I'm coming," came the meek, almost silent reply. "I just dropped my, eh, pencil."

"No you didn't." the other female said, smirking slightly. "You just don't want to meet the new people."

"That's not true," the voice whispered, but they could still hear it.

"Then come on!" The other penguin seemed impatient. For someone only slightly taller than Private's height, she was intimidating. She gripped her hips with her flippers, and tapped her foot. When she heard no reply, she groaned and ran back into the crate.

They could all hear a scuffling, and then a small shriek as another penguin was pushed out into the light.

And they all gasped.

"You're…you're…" Skipper groped for words.

"Twins!" Private shrieked.

"Identical twins," corrected Kowalski, but no one was bothering to listen to him.

The new penguin seemed shy. She had the same eye color, but they seemed softer and more trusting than the eyes of her sister. Her bangs were swept in front of her left eye, and she was being almost pushed out of the box by her doppelganger.

"I don't want…don't…stop it!" She didn't seem to see the other penguins, and then she was left standing outside the box, unprotected. Her eyes got huge, and she gulped.

Her twin came up beside her. "See, Anna, its not so bad. I knew you could do it."

Anna seemed to be extremely nervous upon noticing the other penguins. "Oh, um, hi." She stumbled over her words, looking only at the floor. Her accent was decidedly French, as was her counterpart's.

"Well, where are we?" the abrasive twin asked, startling the men. "You never answered."

Before Skipper could retort, Kowalski stepped in. "Welcome to New York! You are currently residing upon Manhattan, at the Central Park Zoo."

Anna risked a glance up, and smiled briefly at him before looking back down.

Kowalski felt slightly upset, yet bemused, that she was so uncomfortable. "Madam?"

Anna, startled upon realizing that he was addressing her, jumped to answer. "Please, call me Anna."

Private took over. "Anna, we aren't going to hurt you."

At this, the twin stepped in. "Call me Millie. And I know that you won't hurt her, and so does she. She's just terribly shy. It fades as you get to know her."

Anna nodded, still fixated upon the ground. "I'm sorry." She whispered, barely audible.

"Its alright, nothing to be sorry for! Chronic Shyness is a condition that affects approximately 93% percent of the population." Kowalski said, wanting to make her more comfortable around them. He instantly wished he knew some jokes.

But for some reason, she tittered and looked up. He was struck with how bright her eyes were.

_Like little stars, _he thought dumbly, before being snapped back to the present by Millie.

"So, where do we sleep? We came all the way from Versailles, and we're exhausted." She started looking around the area surrounding them. "Not much room," She commented.

"Millie!" Anna suddenly reproached, causing them all to jump.

"What? I was just saying." Millie continued her walk around the place, and Skipper stepped in front of her.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he said, "but you didn't give me and my team a chance to introduce ourselves. I'm Skipper."

"I'm Private!" the littlest jumped.

"Rico!" Rico blurted, looking a little crazed.

"And I'm Kowalski," Kowalski affirmed, "but did you say you both came from Versailles? As in, Versailles, France?"

"Yes," Anna said, quietly, and they all turned to look at her. At least she was looking up at them now. "We learned English at the community college there."

"College?" Skipper said, "How old are you…two?" he added, as an afterthought.

"Fifteen," Millie said, suddenly appearing between him and Anna. "And I didn't study at the college, she did. She just taught me the language saying that 'we might need it someday'."

"Well, we did, after all." Anna mumbled, not unkindly, and Kowalski resisted the urge to laugh. He was afraid it might offend her.

"Well, since the humans apparently dictated that we should share a habitat, follow me." Skipper said reluctantly. He led them over to the H.Q. and kicked away the fishbowl.

"Wow," Anna whispered, as if to herself. "That must have taken weeks to tunnel through. This is a mixture of sand, rocks and man-made sealants. Also known as 'concrete'. It's extremely tough and versatile. I'd estimate it took you about fifteen spoons to dig this thing?"

Kowalski, shocked slightly, grinned. "Well, yes, that's correct."

"Oh great." Skipper mumbled. "Another egghead. As if one wasn't enough."

"What was that?" Millie asked, as they all clambered down the ladder. "What did you just say?"

"Nothing." Skipper denied, walking away from her.

But she cut him off. "I heard you, you lying jerk. Now you'd better withdraw that comment about my sister or else I'll-"

But just as suddenly, Anna was there between them. She stared Millie in the face. "Millie, please. Its ok, he didn't mean it, I'm sure. Besides, I didn't hear it. No harm done. Please, please don't get us in trouble on our first day."

Millie, glaring at Skipper still, backed off. Anna turned around to face him. "I'm sorry. She has, um, anger issues. And over-protectiveness." She raised her voice at that part, glancing at Millie, who was checking out the science lab.

"Cool, look, Anna. Geek tools. Your alley." Millie scooped up a large glowing _something _and started juggling it.

"Don't touch that!" Kowalski flew across the room and snatched it out of the air. "That is part of a highly delicate scientific experiment!" and then, "Those aren't geek tools."

"Millie!" Anna scolded, sounding more disappointed than angry. "Remember what happened the last time you did that?"

"It didn't blow up that much," Millie muttered, as she walked away. "Just half the house. We still had the bathroom. And those are so geek tools."

"Yea, and half a kitchen." Anna shook her head. "I'm sorry. Kowalski, right?"

"Yes. And you're…"

"Anna. Well, actually, my real name is Anastasia, but you can call me Anna. It's quicker." Anna helped him stabilize the orb of glowing-ness, and continued. "And Millie's real name is actually-"

And that is when a large, white and black blur flew at Anna and slapped a flipper over her mouth.

"I told you not to tell anyone!" Millie hissed, clearly angry.

Anna pried her twins' flipper off of her beak. "And I told you not to destroy anyone's fusion-powered nuclear transformer again, either." She sounded joking, not angry. "Goodness, I was just going to tell him your name."

"I hate my name!" Millie hissed again, "Don't tell him! Or anyone!"

"But Millie's a nice name," Private sounded crushed.

"My name isn't Millie," Millie said, catapulting herself onto a vacant bunk on the opposite side of the habitat. (There were two extra bunks there; Manfreddi's and Johnson's) "I just tell people to call me that."

Private was wise enough not to ask her real name.

Kowalski was looking at Anna in a whole new light. "You know what my invention is?"

She looked abashed. "Well, yes. I am an amateur scientist."

"Amateur? No one could have recognized that unless they have a degree in physics!" His eyes widened happily, hardly daring to think; "Do you?"

"Yes, I do." Anna seemed shy again.

Kowalski allowed the silence to build, but inside he was flying. _Another scientist! Yes! Finally, some intelligent conversation!_

Skipper interrupted the pause. "Well, your bunks are over there. Make yourselves at home."

Anna thanked him politely as she walked over to sleep, clearly exhausted. "I'll be up in a few hours."

"I won't." Millie sighed, automatically having taken the bottom bunk. She rolled over and sighed deeply. "Goodnight!"

Anna rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "Goodnight, _Je-"_

And that was when a pillow flew up from the bottom bunk, and smacked Anna in the face.


	2. One Word Descriptions

A few minutes later, the men were sure that the girls were asleep.

"They seem nice, Skippa." Private said, bouncing around outside, while the others scanned the crate.

"Aha!" Kowalski cried, pulling out a purple notebook holder from the crate. "'Property of Anastasia Weiss'! Good thing we found this; Alice might have taken it back with the crate!" Then he was puzzled. "But what is it?"

"Their last name is Weiss?" Skipper said, laughing a little. "Nice name."

Kowalski scowled at him. "It looks like a notebook holder, with a notebook and a pencil inside."

"Speaking of pencils…it seems like they have very distinct personalities. Anna, shy and quiet. Millie, loud and boisterous. I though identical twins were, well, identical." Skipper mused, remembering how Anna had faked dropping her pencil to avoid being confronted by them.

"Identical in genetic makeup, not in psychological." Kowalski straightened up, setting the notebook case down gently by the fishbowl.

"English, Kowalski?" Skipper growled.

"Yea!" Rico coughed out, while simultaneously chewing on the crate corner.

"It means that they can be as different in personality as possible, but their DNA is the same. It is understandable that they should be so different; some identical twins feel as if they have no individuality and seek to exploit their own differences in order to achieve said individuality. That would be why we are looking at polar opposites here."

"Ow!" Skipper yelled suddenly, drawing their attentions. "What the deuce?"

"What is it?" Private asked.

"…a stick of dynamite?" Skipper stepped out into the light, holding a large stick with a fuse on the other end. "Now how did…?"

"Ka-boom!" Rico snatched the dynamite and swallowed it.

"I think I can guess who's that was," Kowalski said.

"Millie's." They all said, in unison.

And suddenly, Anna was at the top of the stairs.

"Speak of the devil…Millie. We were just talking about you! We found your dynamite." Skipper said.

But Kowalski looked at Anna and shook his head, just as she did. "That's not Millie, Skipper. That's Anna."

She, having said the same thing at the same time, looked up in gratitude. "You could tell us apart!"

Kowalski felt instantly elated. "Well, of course."

She was still beaming as she turned back to Skipper. "That dynamite is Millie's, erm, _special _favorite. I wouldn't have touched it, if I were you."

"No offense, but we aren't afraid of you two girls." Skipper said, feeling confident and cocky.

"Oh, it's not _me _you need to be afraid of, it's _her._" Anna said, noticing her notebook binder on the ground. "My notebook! Who found it? I thought I had lost it out in the Atlantic."

"I did." Kowalski said. "But, I was wondering why you would need it?"

She looked up at him like he was crazed. "To write in."

"Y-you can write?" Everyone's eyes got large. She looked a trifle alarmed at their sudden attention.

"Well, um, yes, I can. Can't you?" She scooped up the purple plastic binder, and looked a little surprised.

"Well, you see, technically speaking…no." Kowalski said, sounding ashamed.

"That's easily remedied, though." Anna didn't miss a beat. "You can always learn something; it's un-learning something that is impossible."

And suddenly, Kowalski didn't feel so bad about it anymore. "That's true," he admitted.

"Wait, you taught your sister to speak English, didn't you?" Skipper said, suddenly excited.

"Yes, I did…" Anna started backing away again.

"Couldn't you teach my team to read?"

"Well, um, I guess so." Anna shrugged. "Can't be much different, I suppose."

And that was when the blur that was Marlene arrived.

"Hey guys! What's up…" she faded off when she saw Anna, looking horribly shy again. "Who is this? Hi! I'm Marlene! How are you, and what's your name?" Marlene stepped towards Anna to shake hands, but Anna jumped and ran back down the stairs.

"What just happened…?" Marlene looked stunned, staring at the space where Anna had been.

"That's Anna, Marlene." Private offered. "She just got here yesterday with her sister."

"She's really shy; she was just getting semi-used to us." Even though he knew it wasn't really Marlene's fault, Kowalski felt ruffled that she had scared off Anna.

And then Anna appeared again, gulping and shaking a bit. She came up the ladder, and only looked at ground. "I'm sorry." She whispered, in super-shy mode again. "I just got frightened and bolted. I shouldn't have, and I'm working on it." She extended a slender flipper. "I'm Anna. It's nice to meet you." She really was trying her hardest; she even glanced up when she said that last bit.

"Well…Anna, it's nice to meet you! I'm Marlene, and welcome to New York! Where did you come from?" Marlene shook the trembling flipper and smiled warmly at the shy penguin.

"Versailles, France." Anna said, as her heart rate slowed. "And New York is nice."

"I'm sorry, did you just say France? That is so COOL! You have to tell me all about it." Marlene looked expectant, but Anna just couldn't talk that much yet.

"Maybe my sister would be better at explaining it to you," Anna mumbled, "I'll be right back."

And she went down the ladder, and into the H.Q.

"She seems…nice." Marlene said, in her way.

And then Millie appeared at the ladder.

"I thought you said you were going to get your sister?" Marlene was confused; there was Anna, looking her in the eyes and staring with her hands on her hips.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I've never met you before in my life." Millie said. She sounded cold and annoyed.

"Um, guys? What's going on…?" Marlene took a step back.

"What do you mean, what's going on?" Millie took a step forward. "I'm Millie. My little sis said you wanted to meet me?"

"Huh?" Marlene was frozen, confusion scrawled across her features. And then it hit her. "Oh! Your little sister was Anna, right? Oh! But that makes you…"

"Twins." Skipper said, anticipating her words.

"Identical twins." Kowalski corrected again, for the umpteenth time.

"Oh. Sorry about that! I'm Marlene! Nice to meet you." She extended a paw, which was batted at by Millie.

"Yea, yea, great. Nice to meet you. Where's my dynamite?" She stepped around Marlene and put her hands on her hips. "I hope you boys didn't use it, or worse, lose it."

"Um," Rico coughed up the dynamite and held it out for her. "Here you go!"

Her face lit up. "That was SO TOTALLY AWESOME! You HAVE to show me how to do that!" She took the dynamite from Rico, who was smiling freakishly in his psychotic way.

And Anna came back upstairs, completing the party.

"Hey, Marlene. Did Millie tell you about France much?" Anna walked over, seeming more bold this time, but not by much.

"Not really," Marlene sounded put-out. "She sorta pushed me away."

"Of course she did." Anna mumbled, and then, in a louder tone. "She does that a lot. Don't take it personally, she's just…Millie."

"Funny," Marlene reflected, "That's how everyone describes Rico."

"Is Rico the one with the spiky hair?" Anna sounded a little afraid.

"Yep, why?" Marlene preyed upon the withdrawal of information her girl-sense was picking up on. "Do you like him?"

"No, well, not like you think…actually, he kind of scares me." Anna admitted quietly, making sure that no one but Marlene heard. "But don't tell him. I don't want to hurt his feelings."

"Oh, I wouldn't! No worries! But I think he kinda scares everyone." Marlene assured, deciding that she liked Anna better than Millie. At least, so far. Maybe Millie was someone you gradually got to like.

"But anyways, how are you?" Anna asked, feeling stupid. _What do people normally talk about when they meet someone new? _"I mean, yea."

"Pretty good, yea, I'm pretty good…life around here can get pretty boring though. I mean, as long as you stay away from the boys over there. So I guess you'll be enjoying the full extent of their commando universe, huh?"

Anna felt confused. "Huh? Commando universe?"

"They didn't tell you?" Marlene was incredulous, but willing to explain. "They have this…military, I guess you'd call it…thing going on here. Skipper's the leader, he's the short one with the flat hair cut, and he calls the shots. Kowalski is the brainiac, you know, the thinker. Rico is the weapons guy, and Private is the, well, normal one."

"Hmm…I hadn't noticed." Anna mentally berated herself for missing out on those details. She usually missed nothing. "But that's cool."

"Sometimes it is, but mostly, it's annoying. Especially when they break into your house in the middle of the night for no reason at all, just because they 'need to'. But you'll probably get used to it. I did, kinda." She laughed a little.

And then Kowalski glanced up at Anna from where he was over at the crate remains, and smiled at her.

_I don't think I'll get used to that, _Anna thought, as she smiled back.

"Hey, I know guys! Lets play a game!" Marlene gushed. "It'll help us get to get to know the twins, and them to know us!"

"Oh, Marlene!" Skipper sagged. "Don't bring your sappy emotions into this!"

"Please, can't we? It's called 'One Word Description'. You say one word that describes yourself, and you keep going until you run out. I used to play it all the time back in Cali."

"I'll play!" Private smiled.

"Private!" Skipper slapped him.

"Aw, poor Private." Anna muttered, looking saddened.

"It happens all the time, Anna." Skipper said, not feeling quite so sad for poor Private. "Don't worry about it."

"I'm in." Millie said, slamming her fist down on her palm.

"I'll play, I guess." Anna whispered.

Kowalski beamed at her. "Count me in."

"Me!" Rico shrieked.

"Aw, guys! Come on!" Skipper sat down at the table too, but he wasn't really feeling it. "Lets just get this over with."

"Now, Skipper, we're here to have fun." Marlene corrected, and said. "I'll start. Fun."

"Elite." Skipper said, not really paying attention.

"Ka-boom!" Rico yelled, as anticipated by nearly everyone.

Millie stood up. "Tough."

Skipper chuckled, and Millie dove towards him. "You doubt it?"

"Millie, please," Anna begged, and Millie sat again.

Kowalski was next. "Intelligent."

"Shy." Anna said, and everyone wanted to laugh at how she ducked her head when she said it. It was just too ironic.

"Cuddly!" Private beamed, giggling.

Marlene restarted the circle. "Sweet."

"Bored."

"Skipper!"

"Sorry."

"Ka-bam!"

"Strong."

"Sensitive."

"Dying."

And everyone stopped. No one moved, and no one laughed.

"What?" Marlene asked, thinking that she'd heard wrong.

Anna looked at everyone like they were oblivious, and then they all watched as something seemed to crash into her mind. "Oh, right. I meant…I mean, I said…laughing." She gulped, and tried to laugh as she did so. "Ha ha ha…ha."

No one was buying it.

And then Millie roared with laughter. "You-you forgot!" she cried, almost falling out of her chair. "I can't believe…and you didn't want them to know…and you forgot!"

Anna was blushing like crazy. "Shut up, Millie."

"No, no! It's so funny, though! I can't believe that you just…just…forgot!"

"I just wasn't thinking…besides, they still don't know." Anna said, praying that her sister had enough sense to not say anything.

"Ok, ok." Millie had tears rolling down her cheeks. "So get this, Anna has-"

"Millie!" Anna moaned.

Everyone was just as confused as could be, flipping their heads between the two twins.

"I'll tell them your name." Anna threatened, sounding like she meant it. A little.

"You wouldn't."

"Neither would you, really." Anna tried to sound confident, but she so wasn't.

"Yes, I would." And Millie turned to everyone else at the table, who were all waiting to here it. "Anna has heart cancer."

And a stunned silence. Anna moaned.

"Millie…! How could you? I didn't want them to know!"

"Heart cancer?" Marlene whispered. "Really?"

Anna had her head buried in her flippers, and she was blushing furiously. She didn't offer up an answer.

Kowalski felt crushed. Heart cancer? That was usually…but I mean, surely this was a prank? A joke?

But some part of him knew it wasn't. Not really.

"Yep. Anna has had heart cancer since the age of two." Millie was tittering a bit. "And we're used to referring to it, and she just went and forgot…!"

"Why didn't you want us to know, Anna?" Private asked, his cute British accent peppered with concern.

She lifted her head, and they saw the glittering tears under her lids. "Because I didn't want you guys to look at me like you are now. Like I'm on my death bed, or something. Like I'm falling apart. Every time I've told someone, they've treated me differently afterwards. And I just wanted this to be different; I wanted a chance to make an impression on you without you knowing." She sounded heartbroken. "And I used to joke about how I was dying back home, and I just forgot…"

So it wasn't a joke. And Kowalski felt his world, the new one he liked so much, explode around him. But no. He wouldn't give up on her, not even because of that. In fact, he realized that he liked her even more now. He wasn't sure how that was possible, but it was. And he wouldn't let that stop him.

"So right now, you're in remission?" he said, trying not to sound judgmental or anything like that.

Anna nodded, realizing that looking at him made her cheeks cool. His blue eyes were just so…calming. "Since last June."

Kowalski did the mental math. It was May, so almost a year. She might go into a relapse soon, but then again, she might not. "That's almost a year. That's a decent amount of time."

She nodded again, still staring into his eyes. They were just so blue, and sweet. She felt herself relaxing. Kowalski isn't judging me, she thought, he isn't treating me differently.

And then came the worst thing that could have happened.

"So, cancer is that incurable thing, right?" Skipper blundered, trying to sound suave and smart.

And Anna felt her heart cracking in the middle, and her throat closed up. _I knew it. I knew. I can't believe that I was so stupid that I couldn't see that nobody would treat me differently. I can't believe I was so naïve. I can't believe it._

And Millie was on his throat in an instant, and he was pinned against the floor.

"No, no, Millie!" Anna cried, wanting to stop her, but knowing from experience that she wasn't strong enough.

Kowalski was so confused on whose side to take. His loyalty was to Skipper, and Anna's twin was pinning her to the floor. But then again, some all-controlling power was swaying him to Anna's side. It was like, a strange connection of feelings he didn't understand.

So he sat there, wanting to comfort her, and wanting to stop Millie. _What do I do? _And in the end, something told him to wrap and arm around Anna. So he hesitated, and then he went for it.

And she didn't draw away. In fact, she sort of collapsed.

"Shut UP, Anna!" Millie yelled, and then she turned to Skipper. "Who do you think you are? Huh? You pick on her, you traumatize her, you make fun of something that she doesn't have anything she can do about! Huh? Who are you?"

Skipper didn't want to deck a girl. But, he had to. So he tried his simple kick-flip, to get her off him, to his feet.

As he tried, he ended up with his head throbbing in the back. Huh? He thought. That can't be right. Why is my head hurting? And he realized, _it hadn't worked._ She had some how deflected his kick, and pinned him right back down.

How is that even _possible?_ He asked himself, and tried another signature move. It didn't work either, but the third got him to his feet.

And the duel began. Skipper was quick, but Millie was quicker. In a monochrome blur, she was practically punching circles around him. In seconds, it was over, and Skipper was smashed against a wall.

_Impossible! _He thought, as he skid down it and stood back up. _She's a female!_

He turned around in the total silence, and saw Millie, her hip cocked, her eyebrows raised, as if asking him to apologize or admit something.

He felt ashamed. Years of professional training, and he was beaten…by a female? "…You, win."

She grinned, and went over to high-five Anna. But Anna had her arms crossed over her chest (Kowalski had been so surprised when Millie had beaten Skipper, his arms had dropped in shock) and she wasn't looking amused. Millie paused, and tried re-flashing her hand, as if restarting.

"Come on, give me some love! I just beat a guy at his own game, for the billionth time." She acted put-out. "What's wrong?"

Anna shook her head. "You have to ask? You told, Millie. It's not funny."

"Yea, but its ok now." She dropped her hand. "You really aren't going to give me a high-five?"

"No, I'm really not." And Anna stood, facing her. "I really didn't want them to know for a while."

Millie sighed. "Oh, come off it. You know you forgive me, because I'm actually 'a good girl' and 'nice when you get to know' me. I 'try my best'. Please just give me the high-five."

Anna stood there, and then her mouth twitched into a smile. "Oh, alright!" And she gave her grinning twin a high-five, and they sat back down.


	3. Shells and Such

The girls started slowly settling into the hearts of the other zoo creatures, especially the male penguins residing with them. They began to consider the twins their sisters, and started looking out for them and such. And several weeks passed.

They began to notice some subtle things about the girls it was hard to notice.

For instance, Millie may act all tough and like that, but she was seen, on multiple occasions, to be her sisters sustaining force. That meant that she really had to have a heart of gold buried in her somewhere. She could compliment people when she felt like, and had been known to smile kindly at smaller animals. Mainly Mort.

And Anna didn't let her shyness rule her all the time. She kicked it to the curb a few times a week and allowed her real self to shine through, but after a few times a week she couldn't seem to go without it. Although, it began to fade with time, until they were astonished to see her starting conversations with them and actually looking them in the eye when she spoke. It was, they all reflected, a nice change.

And, the longer they got to know them, the more it was easy for them to tell the twins apart, which helped with the awkwardness.

So now, a typical night at the H.Q. went something like this.

"Did you know that the dolphin has a sonar location system?" Anna asked, in-between bites.

But her comment did not have the effect intended. "Dolphin!" Private shrieked.

"Blowhole!" Skipper slammed his fist on the table.

Kowalski felt the need to explain. "Dr. Blowhole is our dolphin nemesis."

"You guys have a nemesis? Cool!" Millie gasped in awe. "Omgosh you have to let me meet him!"

"You guys have a nemesis? Isn't that an enemy, of sorts?" Anna asked, hoping she didn't sound stupid.

"Correct." Kowalski affirmed, as everyone settled back down. "He's pure evil wrapped in a copious amount of genius."

"Oh. So do you…you know, fight him?" Anna asked, and Millie burst out with laughter.

"Of course they fight him! What did you think they did, huh?"

Anna blushed. "I don't know," she mumbled.

And a few weeks after that, the men had the girls' characters down pat.

Anna was quiet, but she had a sense of humor and was an optimist. She loved the rainstorms, purple was her favorite color, and she usually had insomnia. She hoped to one day write a great American novel, and was always working on it to get it down. She liked classical music, sometimes country and pop, but no hard rock. And she could often be found out in the central park, smelling the flowers and thinking. She was very clumsy.

Millie was just as loud as she had first been supposed to be. She had a sense of humor, but it was different from Anna's. She hated water with a fierce dislike, orange was her favorite color, and she could sleep for more than fifteen hours a day, or watch TV for seventeen. She usually tried sneaking in to train with the others, but got promptly expelled when they caught her. She lived for hard rock and punk, and was a fan of those kinds of bands. In fact, she was once penned by Anna as being the 'worlds biggest rolling stones fan'.

And these, then, were the characters of the newest penguins admitted to the Central Park Zoo.

One day, in mid-August, the penguins decided it was time for a day at the beach. The usually went about once a year.

Anna was intrigued. "The beach?"

"Yea. The beach." Skipper felt as if he was explaining something to a small child. "Don't you know, the beach? Waves and sunshine?"

"I know what it is," Anna remarked, going back to her book. "I just have never been to one."

The collective gasp made her look up. Everyone was looking at her. "What?"

"You've never been to a beach?" Private asked, sounding shocked to his core.

"Nope. In France, we didn't live near the ocean at all. In fact, Millie and I had to pretend that the lake in the backyard had a beach. I'm sure it's close to the same thing."

"Actually," Millie sounded sheepish. "I have been to a beach."

"What?" Anna looked up again.

"Yea, ok so, you remember Isabel? Yea, so, she took me and Celesta to the beach once, (a four hour drive) and it was awesome."

"How come you didn't tell me?" Anna sounded a little hurt.

"Well," Millie seemed uncomfortable. "Mom didn't want you to know. You couldn't go; that was the summer of 06."

"Oh." Anna didn't say anything else; apparently the summer of 06 was memorable to her in some way.

And they were all reminded of Anna's cancer.

"Well, if you haven't been to a beach," Private started.

"We should go right now!" Skipper ordered. "In the car, everyone!"

Millie wanted to sit on the back hood, which they reluctantly let her do, and Anna sat in the back between Private and Kowalski.

Rico was driving, so they got to the beach quicker than humanly possible, no pun intended.

"Would you turn up the radio?" Millie asked, "I can't hear it."

Skipper reluctantly turned it up. "Is this ok music for you?" It was screaming goth music.

"Omg I love this song!" Milie gushed.

Anna sighed. "This is just people beating on instruments."

"You take that back!" Millie said, pointing her flipper at Anna's head.

"Ok, ok," Anna sighed again, "I take it back. This is so neurologically stimulating."

At that, Kowalski laughed. And Millie glared at him. "Watch it, poindexter."

And that was how the drive went.

The beach was blue and green, and roaring and peaceful, and beautiful and dangerous all at once. Anna was enthralled.

"Wow," she kept saying. "Wow, wow…"

She jumped out of the car, and ran toward the surf. "This is so…amazing."

Kowalski and Skipper set up an instant campsite, and Millie plopped down in the sand. "Later," she said.

Rico and Private followed Anna to the water, and Skipper lay down, glasses on, under the red umbrella. "Time for some sun," he mumbled, falling asleep.

Kowalski watched Anna splash about in the waves, overjoyed at how large, cold and wet they were, and smiled to himself. She seemed like a young child with a new toy. _You know, you could join her, _he thought, _you could._

Why not? He ran out after her.

Private and Anna were splashing about in the waves, allowing them to carry them to shore. They would count to three, jump into the wall of salt water, and be washed in with the tide. Kowalski laughed a little when Anna came up, soaking and sputtering, but laughing and running out to go again.

He walked on up to them, and felt out of place. _I'm a scientist, _he sighed inwardly, _I just don't understand fun._

But she's a scientist, too. He realized, and just before he walked out and left them there playing, Anna ran up and grabbed his wrist.

"Come on, Kowalski!" She blurted, "The wave is coming! It's going to be very big, I can tell. Alright," She positioned herself beside Private, with Kowalski on her other side. "Now you just jump, and hold your breath. I'll tell you when…three…two…one…now!" And Anna leapt forwards as the wave grabbed them and let it carry her in to shore. She was washed up, face down, on the sand.

Kowalski, having followed her lead, found himself beside her, only a few inches away. She rolled over to face him, and smiled. "Wasn't that fun?" she asked, and he was dying to say how beautiful she looked with droplets of water captured in her eyelashes, her feathers clinging to her face, flushed with pleasure.

But he couldn't. "Yes, that was rather exhilarating."

She laughed at his word choice. "Come on, Kowalski! Lighten up! Laugh a little."

"Ha ha ha…ha?" He mocked her playfully, and she tossed him a look of fake annoyance.

"Very funny, Kowalski. You know what? I liked it better when you were in scientific mode." She rose to her feet, and raked the sand off of her arms. "This stuff gets stuck everywhere, I swear. I'm assuming this is 'sand'? A mixture of crushed and polished rock pieces ground down into infinitesimal specks of minute structure?"

And Kowalski felt so at ease with her that he did relax. "Yes, that is correct."

Anna frowned, and stooped to pick something up at her feet. "And this would be the shed exoskeleton of marine life?"

"That is also correct, although most prefer the term 'shell'."

"Shell," Anna let the word roll around in her mouth like hard candy. "It's very pretty, especially for a skeleton of sorts."

Kowalski smiled, and handed her another. "They are very, er, pretty."

Anna smiled as she took it from him. "They're all different," she noted, diving to catch one that almost got swept away.

Private ran up just then, shaking the water from his ears. "Come one guys! Let's go get that wave!"

Anna laughed and set the shells further upshore.

"You'll miss the wave, Anna," Kowalski said, "You better hurry."

"Who's missing it now?" she smirked as she ran past him, kicking up salty spray behind her.

Kowalski just smiled.

Meanwhile, up on shore, Rico, Millie and Skipper were sitting around under the suns rays.

And that was when Millie sat up, saw Anna in the ocean swimming about, and almost had a heart attack. "My god, Anna!" She jumped up and stormed down to the ocean, grabbing her sister by the arm.

"What?" Anna asked innocently, as a wave blew over them both. Kowalski and Private, not having noticed that Anna hadn't the ability to go, had both jumped on in to shore.

"You know you have to be careful! You know you can't do anything dangerous! Do you want to go into relapse?" Millie berated, and the boys turned to see what was going on.

Anna ripped her arm away from her concerned twin. "No, I don't. I was being careful, Millie."

"No, you weren't. I don't want you to do that anymore. You know how klutzy you are!" Millie started walking away. "Besides, I'm oldest."

"By three and a half minutes!" Anna called after her, frustrated. "You know that doesn't count."

"Counts enough for me," Millie retorted, lying back down. "No. More."

"Ugh!" Anna, angry, walked back in to shore. "I'm not aloud to do that anymore, guys. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Kowalski said, "Why don't we look for some more shed exoskeletons of marine life?"

Anna grinned, forgetting her anger. She thought he was hilarious. "Ok, let's go find some shells."

A few minutes later, Anna and Kowalski had gathered up a huge pile of colorful shells besides the umbrellas. Private was still riding waves in.

Tired from the day at the beach, Anna sprawled out where the waves came crashing in to shore, and let them wash up around her. "I'm exhausted," she commented, gathering up a handful of sand to squeeze.

"Me too," Kowalski said, using that as an excuse to sit besides her. "It's so peaceful out here."

"Really? You think this is peaceful?" Anna propped herself up on her elbows, letting the suns dying rays strike and crisscross over her face. "I like it because its so…not. It's rebellious and never ending. Sort of like Millie, I suppose."

He chuckled at her comment. "I think it can be both. That's why so many people like it."

"Depends on what you want to see." Anna muttered, understanding his thought process. "So which is it, really? Dangerous or peaceful?"

"I think it's a force of nature." Kowalski said, closing his eyes. "Unstoppable either way."

"I agree." Anna smiled, collapsing on the sand again.

Kowalski let the silence hang for a minute, and then he wanted to ask her something. But he realized he didn't dare to speak what he was thinking, so he promptly re-closed his beak.

_Besides, _he reasoned with himself, _love isn't real. Love is, can only be, a hormonally driven desire empowered by the wishful thinking of the mind._

_ Then why does it hurt so much?_

Eventually, the sun-bathers sat up and started talking.

"Look at Anna and Kowalski," Millie mused, for at the time they were gathering shells. "She looks so happy with him, it's almost like she's forgotten everything."

"Forgotten what?" Private asked, having waddled up from the surf.

"Forgotten about her cancer." Millie stated, still looking slightly out of it.

Skipper had a question he wanted to ask, but he was almost afraid to. "About her cancer, um, Millie," and he waited until she was looking at him. "how long does she have?"

"To live?" Millie seemed unusually calm talking about it. "Depends. Depends on if she relapses, depends on how bad it is, depends on medicine and treatment. That is, we don't really know. But she's pretty confident she can beat it. She has held up for, gosh, is it thirteen years now?" Millie shook her head in disbelief.

"What happens when she does relapse?" Skipper asked, glancing over to see Anna laughing as she threw a shell at Kowalski. "How quickly does it happen?"

"Oh, usually she starts shaking a lot, and faints a bit." Millie watched Kowalski dodge the shell, playfully tossed, and he made some sort of attempt at a joke. "Sometimes she can't breathe for periods of time. But it happens over time slowly, so you aren't sure if what you're looking at are symptoms or what, and then one day she'll be unable to breathe and falls down." Millie reflected. "Sometimes I had to get the humans to treat her. There is only so much I've learned how to do. Mom used to take care of her, and then she died, and I was the only one left."

"Your mum died?" Private whispered, "That's horrible!"

"Yea, it was. But it was a few years ago, so we've gotten over it for the most part."

"What about your father?" Skipper found himself asking.

"We didn't really get to know him," Millie said, tracing designs in the sand. "He was in a boating accident in the navy before we were two. He never even knew about Anna's cancer."

Silence followed, and Millie continued tracing random squiggles in the dust around her. "But, you know," she said eventually, "it's not so bad."

Rico grunted and placed a hand over Millie's tracing one, and smiled a little at her.

But the craziest thing was that Millie smiled back.

As they all piled into the pink, flowery car to go back to the zoo, Kowalski almost said that thing again. But then he stopped himself.

And then, as they were driving away, Anna clutched her bag of seashells on her lap. They were precious to her now, and she didn't want them to be crushed or broken. So she carefully held them the whole way home, and when they got to the H.Q., she ran down and set the bag on bunk. She had a great idea for those.

A few minutes later, they found Anna gluing the shells, pretty side up, to the top of her bunk.

"What are you doing?" Millie asked, observing her sister.

"Gluing these shells up," Anna said, smiling at her handiwork proudly. "I like them, so I decided I'd hang them there."

"Whatever," Millie mumbled, plopping down on her bunk, since it was after dark. "Do what you want, sis."

"Yay," Anna sighed, "First time ever."

Another pillow to the face.


	4. Slightly Christmas Party

"Hey, guys, look at this!" Marlene ran in one day a few months later. It was December now, and a few days until Christmas. Anna had been decorating the H.Q. all week, and Marlene gasped when she saw the tree. It was glittering and coated with icicles and ornaments of various size and color.

"Wow, guys, I like the decorations! Seems like you are really getting into the spirit this year." Marlene tapped a wreath near 'Privates First Prize'.

"It's all Anna," Skipper muttered, batting a large clump of holly.

"Yea, ALL Anna." Millie grumbled. "Dumb glittering lights."

Anna rolled her eyes at those two, and smiled at Marlene. "Anyway, what did you want to show us?"

Marlene handed them a colorful roster. "This. It's an invite to the lemur's Christmas Party."

Anna beamed happily. "Oooh, sounds like fun!"

"Fun?" Skipper asked, sounding like he thought Anna was mental. "Those lemurs will cause the most frustrating, annoying, ridiculous party ever seen. We aren't going, Marlene, so give it up."

"Party? Heck, yea, I'm going!" Millie grinned, "I love to party!"

"Yea!" Rico said, bringing out his nun chucks.

"I think a Christmas Party would be a nice change of pace around here." Anna said, handing Kowalski the flyer. "You guys seem so uptight."

"We have to be paranoid." Skipper said, raising his flippers and swirling them in front of her face. "Dr. Blowhole doesn't sleep, and neither do we. Remember that, now forget we ever said it."

Anna's eyes got larger as she followed his flippers, and Kowalski grabbed her shoulders and jiggled her slightly. Her eyes came back into focus, and she blinked twice. "Thanks," she said, looking up into his eyes.

He stood there for a second more, still looking down into her soft green eyes. They sparkled with gratitude, and she seemed so sweet when she thanked him. How could anyone not adore her? And then, aware that everyone was looking at him, he let go of her shoulders and stepped to her side.

"I'll go if…" he was going to say, 'if Anna goes', but then he changed it. "…if there's candy."

"So that's everyone, except you, Skipper." Marlene said.

"What about me?" Private asked, left out.

"Oh, you know you go with majority," Marlene dismissed it, "Please, please Skipper?"

"Ah what the heck?" Skipper said, smiling a little. "Sure, lets all go to the party. Maybe it'll be fun."

"Woo-hoo!" Marlene cheered, snatching the flyer back. "I'll go tell them! See you then!"

"Marlene can be so naïve," Skipper said, going back to sipping his coffee. "But no where near as naïve as Anna."

"What?" Anna asked, getting out from under the tree where she was attaching the skirt, (it didn't help that she know had a large amount of wreath wrapped around her head) and Millie chuckled.

Later, at the party, Anna was sitting over at one of the tables, with Marlene.

"So, don't deny it." Marlene said, while Anna ate another piece of taffy. "Which of them do you like?"

"W-what do you mean…?" Anna asked, purposefully stuffing her mouth with sugar-filled goodies.

"You know what I mean," Marlene said suspiciously, while they watched Rico and Millie dance up on stage to whatever random, hard-rock music was playing. "Who is it? Is it Rico?"

Anna choked. "N-no," she coughed.

"Aha! So you DO like one of them," Marlene said slyly, "So which one is it? Private?"

"No," Anna blushed. "Of course not. He's younger than me!"

"Oh, right." Marlene frowned, "Is it…Skipper?"

"Nope. Too…um, commando I guess." Anna looked away, realizing that she had played into Marlene's hand by leaving only one penguin.

"Soo…" Marlene drug it out, watching Anna's mouth twitch and her cheeks flush with color. "It's Kowalski then, isn't it?"

"I don't know what you're…of course not…that's absolutely…yes." Anna moaned, slamming her head down onto the table top. "Yes, that's true."

"I knew it!" Marlene crowed, swallowing her gum. "I knew it. So how long have you liked him?"

"That's…confidential." Anna said, trying to sound in control.

"It was ever since you saw him, wasn't it?"

"Yes!" Anna said, feeling like a lump of lead. "How do you know these things?"

"I have my ways." Marlene said.

Anna watched Kowalski talk with Skipper, and she wished he would talk to her. It wasn't until a few minutes later that Millie came over and drug her out of her seat.

"Come on, Anna! Karaoke time!" Millie said, handing her a microphone.

"What? No, no!" Anna refused, trying to escape her sisters clutches. "No karaoke."

"Yes, karaoke!" Julien cried, dropping down besides them. "Millie here tells me you can sing like bird. So, I want you both up on stage to sing like tomorrow is gone forever!"

"No way," Anna said, handing Millie the microphone back.

"Aw, come on Anna!" Marlene persuaded, as did everyone else. "Come on. Please?"

"Alright, fine." Anna said, snatching the mic again and allowed Millie to hustle her up onstage. "What song are we singing? Nothing hard-core, I hope?"

We're singing 'The Best Day' by Taylor Swift." Millie said, as the intro to the song came on. Anna gripped her microphone nervously, and allowed Millie to sing the first set, like they always did.

Millie:

I'm five years old, it's getting cold, I've got my big coat on  
I hear your laugh and look up smiling at you, I run and run 

Anna:

Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides, look now, the sky is gold  
I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home

Millie:

I don't know why all the trees change in the fall  
But I know you're not scared of anything at all 

Anna:

Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away  
But I know I had the best day with you today

Millie:

I'm thirteen now and don't know how my friends could be so mean  
I come home crying and you hold me tight and grab the keys 

Anna:

And we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away  
And we talk and window shop 'til I've forgotten all their names

Millie and Anna:

I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school

But I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you

Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel okay

But I know I had the best day with you today

Millie:

I have an excellent father, his strength is making me stronger  
God smiles on my little brother, inside and out, he's better than I am 

Anna:

I grew up in a pretty house and I had space to run  
And I had the best days with you

Anna:

There is a video I found from back when I was three  
You set up a paint set in the kitchen and you're talking to me 

Millie:

It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarfs  
And Daddy's smart and you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world

Anna and Millie:

And now I know why the all the trees change in the fall  
I know you were on my side even when I was wrong  
And I love you for giving me your eyes  
For staying back and watching me shine  
And I didn't know if you knew, so I'm takin' this chance to say  
That I had the best day with you today

Anna's soprano and Millie's alto were perfectly matched, down to the last note. Everyone clapped when they finished, and Anna clambered off the stage awkwardly while Millie lived it up with posing.

"Wow, Anna," Marlene said appraisingly, "You guys can really sing!"

"Thanks," Anna said, still feeling a little embarrassed even as the next song came on. "We used to take choir at school, so we got used to singing together. We were the only people in that class. Our school was small."

"Apparently," Marlene said, before she walked over to talk to Skipper.

Anna was barely given time to gather her cool back up when Kowalski approached. "Hey, Anna," he said, making her spin around to face him. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, hey Kowalski! Nothing, I'm doing nothing." Anna ignored the fact that Marlene was winking at her from behind Kowalski's back. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing." He said, and waited for her to say something, because he was absolutely tongue-tied just by looking at her.

"This party is actually kind of nice," Anna said, "I mean, I was expecting something more…"

"Rocker-style?" Kowalski said, smirking.

"Yea, pretty much." Anna said, sitting down in a nearby chair. "But it is actually calm, and almost Christmas themed."

Kowalski laughed at that. "I think Marlene may have helped Julian with the planning. That is my theory as to why she was so gung-ho about us coming tonight."

"Good theory," Anna said, and allowed herself to listen to the music playing. 'Yellow' by Coldplay was on now.

"Aw, I love this song!" Anna said, and allowed herself to hum the tune a little bit.

Kowalski wanted to ask her to dance. But at the thought of talking to her, his mouth went dry and his mind went blank. Kowalski had never been in this type of situation before. _Oh come on! Skipper would know exactly what to say! And he isn't the 'options guy', for crying out loud! Just talk to her…she is a penguin the same as you._

"Um, Anna?"

Anna looked up, and saw this look of intense nervousness on Kowalski's face. "Yes?"

"I was wondering if…perhaps you wouldn't mind…if it would please you to…would you like to dance? You know, with me?" He finally spit it out, and looked her straight in the eyes.

But Anna was freaking out on the inside.

_I have to say something sophisticated and cool. Casual. Isn't this where, in the movies, the heroine says something smart and witty back to him? And for goodness sakes, don't stare at him like an idiot._

"Uh, um…yes. I would like that, very much." Anna and Kowalski awkwardly walked out to the dance floor, and weren't quite sure how to start. The music was playing, the others were dancing, but they couldn't seem to jump in with the beat.

"I have to warn you, I've never done this before," Anna said, as they locked fingers and started to dance. "So it'll be pretty bad."

"I haven't either," Kowalski said, "But we seem pretty evenly matched."

Anna allowed herself to relax, and smile. "Yes. Yes, we do."

Meanwhile, the punch bowl was being drunk dry by Rico and Millie, while Skipper stood beside Maurice. Private was playing limbo with Julian and Mort.

"Well, well, well, will you look at that." Maurice said, spinning Skipper around to see Anna and Kowalski, laughing and dancing. "I knew they would fall for each other some day."

"Sweet Nancy Dradles!" Skipper cried, spitting punch all over the floor. "I can't believe it! That's one of my men dancing with a female? Allowing himself to be distracted? But that's impossible! My men are well trained, far too professional to fall 'in love'!"

"That female is Anna, so it's not a big surprise." Maurice mumbled, drinking some more punch.

"What do you mean, it's not a surprise?"

"All I'm saying is that Kowalski and Anna have been destined since day one, so you can't be angry." Maurice shambled off to Julian's call.

"Who says?" Skipper lectured, pacing. "I can't allow my men to become distracted by some eyelash-batting female who wanders across their path! No, I have to keep them on track! Besides, love can be a dangerous game, and Kowalski is just a boy of sixteen! He could get hurt! No, no, I have to speak to him about this, later. When Anna isn't around."

Unfortunately for the couple, Anna was eventually drug away by her sister to play limbo, and Kowalski was left alone. Skipper seized his chance.

_I have to act natural, _he thought, sipping some more punch. "Oh, hey, Kowalski." He said, leaning against the table.

Kowalski, who had been daydreaming, was snapped to reality. "Hmm? Oh, hey, Skipper."

"Yea. Hey to you to, Kowalski. So…what have you been up to?" Skipper said, trying to sound casual, but not exactly succeeding.

"Oh, nothing." Kowalski said, but he grinned when he remembered how Anna and him had danced for almost an hour, and never run out of things to say.

"Really?" Skipper just couldn't play the casual game. "Is dancing with a green-eyed, female scientist sweetheart nothing?"

Kowalski was suddenly nervous. "H-huh?"

"Exactly! It's not! So what were you doing, dancing with Anna?"

"Skipper, what are you talking abo…alright, fine! We just danced to a few songs, nothing else. We're friends, Skipper."

"Right, just like Manfreddi and Johnson were friends with those buck-toothed alligator-sharks in central America." Skipper said, advancing on his soldier with menace. "And do you know what happened to them, Kowalski?"

Kowalski gulped. "N-no…"

"Neither do I. And that's the scary part!"

"Oh, Skipper, it was nothing. Really." Kowalski said.

"Well whatever it was, I don't want it to happen again, understand?"

Kowalski sighed. "Affirmative."

"Good." Skipper relaxed his grip on his tin cup, and allowed himself another cup of punch.

But Kowalski knew, even as he said the word, the only thing that was 'affirmative' was how he felt about Anna.


	5. Stand up to Skipper Day

So Christmas came and went, and Kowalski and Anna were not destined for a few weeks. That is, until February, after Anna was sixteen.

_Sweet sixteen and never been kissed, _she thought then, but then she remembered who she wanted to kiss, and didn't say a thing.

But Valentines day was approaching, fast. And Anna was always nervous around that time of year. Boys seemed to go a little crazy; even your friends could turn into "your valentine". Girls went a little giggle-happy, but if you kept a calm head, things usually worked out just fine.

So on Valentines Day, when Anna received a flower on her bunk, she was surprised and confused. The only boys she really talked to much were the penguins, and she was sure they were too strictly duty-bound. It was a single, yet beautiful, daisy. _My favorite flower, _she realized, as she picked it up.

A small note card attached read: _My hope for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to. I just hope you wish we could be together. I know I do._

_ Sincerely,_

_ Your Secret Admirer._

Anna frowned. She had never seen that handwriting before, and didn't know who could have sent it. She knew who she wished had sent it, but she could never work up the guts to ask Kowalski. So she did the only thing she knew how to do; since Millie would just settle into a defensive stance, and the boys would laugh, she ran to Marlene.

"A Valentines card?" Marlene cried, leaping out of her chair. "From who?"

"It doesn't say," Anna said, handing her the flower. "It just says 'Your Secret Admirer'."

"Well, Anna, you do realize what we have to do, right?"

"No, what?" Anna asked, taking the flower back from Marlene and rubbing it against her beak absentmindedly.

"We have to find out who did it." Marlene said, sounding like Skipper for a crazy second.

"No way!" Anna spluttered. "He obviously doesn't want me to know."

"That is what he wants you to think," Marlene said. "First off; the boys next door!"

"Ugh, Marlene!" Anna groaned, but allowed herself to be drug back to the H.Q.

"A Valentines day card?" Skipper said, rising from his chair. "Who sent it?"

"We don't know," Marlene said, speaking for Anna in her embarrassment. "In fact, we were wondering if one of your men had done it."

"My men? Of course not, Marlene! Get some sense into your head!"

But Anna had secretly watched Kowalski's face, and she had seen the color drain away when they had come in, Anna smelling the flower to hide her reddening face. She had seen Kowalski's eyes light up when she had said 'and whoever it was really knew me; they gave me my favorite flower'. And she had seen his face burn with shame when Skipper had proclaimed that last bit, and Anna knew who it was.

But then, perhaps, she didn't. Maybe she had simply wanted to see those results, maybe it was an illusion, a trick of the light.

"Ok ok, geeze, calm down!" Marlene said, "Now we're going to go ask Fred the Squirrel."

Skipper choked on his coffee. "I suppose Anna is ok with this plan, Marlene?"

Anna, who was behind Marlene, began shaking her head and making the 'cut' motion over her throat. But Marlene whipped her head around, and Anna stopped comically, and started smiling and nodding.

"Of course she is!" Marlene said, turning to leave. "Come on, Anna. Let's go."

"Save me!" Anna mouthed to the boys, as Marlene drug her out of the room.

A days worth of aggravation later, Anna and Marlene gave up. Marlene was heading to go to the Valentines Day bash, along with Skipper, Private, Rico and the lemurs, but Kowalski wasn't going. Anna saw no reason to go, and she wasn't feeling too good anyway, she told herself.

So, feeling both elated and upset that she still didn't know who had left the flower and note, Anna trudged home to the H.Q.

Kowalski was sitting outside on the deck, staring at the water, with his back to her.

_It's Kowalski! _Anna almost choked with excitement. _He's alone. Now work up the guts to ask him. You never know until you try, do you?_

_ I can't believe I'm doing this._

"Hey, Kowalski." Anna said casually, walking towards him. She was extremely relieved that her voice wasn't shaking.

He spun around, and stood. "Oh, hey, Anna, um…I just remembered that I left the, uh, atomic fusion manipulator on…I should probably go turn that off…" and he sidled towards the fish bowl.

_He's leaving! _Anna panicked. _Just ask him, for God's sake!_

"Wait, Kowalski," Anna said, sighing a little.

He turned back around again. Anna looked at him with a look that made him explode with love inside. But it had to stay inside, he thought, as he opened his mouth. "Anna?"

She sighed, closed her eyes, and started the longest speech of her life. "I was…well…you see…I noticed that you've been avoiding me these past few days. And especially today. I was thinking that it might possibly be because you left me the Valentines note? And you didn't want me to find out…?" She rushed through it all, feeling stupid and watching the expression on his face.

His ice-blue eyes widened, and he walked a few steps towards her. "Would it be so bad if…if I did?"

Anna looked up at him, and realized that that was his way of confessing. "No," she whispered, "it wouldn't be so bad at all."

He stared at her for a minute, and then he beamed. The music from the party across the pathway was drifting over to them; it was 'We Never Change' by Coldplay. Apparently Julian had commandeered a Coldplay CD from the lost'n'found. "Then call me Johnny Lovebird," he joked, and realized with a pang of embarrassment that that comment didn't sound as witty as it had in his head.

Anna laughed, and looked at the ground, as Kowalski spoke again. "Just don't tell the others, especially Skipper."

"Why not?" Anna asked, sounding a little injured.

"Because Skipper wasn't a big fan of our dance number a few weeks back," Kowalski said, hoping she understood.

"Oh, I get it." She smiled, "He doesn't like the thought of his 'trained professionals' falling for anyone?"

"That is the general gist, yes." Kowalski replied, smirking a bit himself. "But you know, it's still Valentines Day."

Anna felt a sudden burst of bravery, and draped her arms around his neck. "So shenanigans like this are aloud?"

Kowalski felt his heart stop. "Um…y-yes, I suppose…"

And Anna smiled, and leaned her head against his chest. "Good." She sighed, and he wrapped his arms around her and they swayed to the music they could still hear from next door, both feeling comfort in each others arms.

The love songs playing on the boom box were making Rico sick, so Skipper was walking away from the crowd with his weapons expert.

"Now, breathe, Rico." He said. "Ignore the extremely gushy-love mush music, and try to get your head straight."

But Rico suddenly went mad, jumping up and down and pointing over Skipper's shoulder. "Egh gah agh!" he chanted quickly, seeming to be trying to say something important.

"Get it together, man!" Skipper yelled, and Rico spun him around.

From their vantage point near Julian's throne, they could see nearly everything. Especially the penguin habitat, and two young penguins dancing in silence.

Skipper gasped, and reared back. "But…but…" And then the anger set in. "Unbelievable! I just told that soldier not four weeks ago…" He started storming down to set this straight, when Marlene stopped him.

"What's up, Skip?" She asked him, sensing the anger rolling off of him.

"Take a look for yourself, Marlene! Kowalski is disobeying a direct order!" Skipper said ferociously, and Marlene turned around.

"Aww…!" she gushed, smiling romantically, clasping her hands together. "How sweet!"

"No. Not sweet!" Skipper said, "Unruly! Ridiculous!"

"Now, Skipper, don't you dare go down there and break them up!" Marlene said, snapping into the present with a jolt. "Anna and Kowalski are obviously in love."

"And that, Marlene, happens to be exactly why I have to break them up."

"No, Skipper, and I won't let you."

Anna was in heaven. The music was soft, and slow. Kowalski was dancing with her, on Valentine's Day, and they were apparently more than friends now.

_Finally! It has almost been a year…_

But then the music type changed, and Anna and Kowalski both laughed when the punk-rock love song came on, and they were still dancing to Coldplay's beat.

"I think our song is over," Kowalski said, pulling back from her to look into her eyes.

_We have a song? _Anna knew that she was going to be hard to pull herself into the present for several days. That comment already had her slightly disconnected. "Yea, I think it is."

And then they both noticed Skipper and Marlene, fighting, as they approached the habitat. They hadn't yet noticed them dancing; or so they thought.

"We'd better go," Anna noted, and Kowalski nodded.

But something in him couldn't let her walk away just yet. "Anna." He said, not knowing exactly what he was going to do, even as he called her name.

"Yes?" She turned, before disappearing into the H.Q.

Kowalski suddenly gripped her shoulders, slowly pulled her in, and kissed her. It lasted all of two seconds, but Anna and Kowalski suddenly had no concept of time. All that mattered was that for the first time in their lives, they were forgetting science and allowing their hearts to tell them what was right and what was wrong.

Anna broke away, feeling dizzy. What just happened? Her stunned brain couldn't seem to think of anything to say. Even silence seemed to be to much for her all of a sudden, because she laughed a tiny bit.

"No matter what Skipper tells me," Kowalski said, devoted to Anna completely. "I…love you, Anna." For the first time ever saying those words, Kowalski knew he would get used to them quickly.

"I love you too, Kowalski," Anna said, softly, and then Skipper's words could be heard. They both turned to look, and when Kowalski looked back at the spot where Anna had been a nanosecond later, he realized that she was already gone.

Anna hit the floor of the H.Q. with a light thump, and scrambled to get to her feet. "I need to get away from here," she realized, still trying to pull her wits back together after what had happened. "If Skipper finds me here and Kowalski up there, two and two make four…" she whispered to herself, and then she remembered the sewers. "I know! I'll use the sewers to get to Marlene's, she won't mind, and I'll hide out there for a few hours."

As she mumbled, she flipped the manhole cover up and climbed down the hatch ladder.

In fact, Anna was still so dizzy from her first kiss, she slipped down three rungs and landed on the concrete with a bump. She didn't even notice the pain as she stumbled up and kept running down the dark pathway.

How far is it to Marlene's? She wasn't sure. Every other time, she had had the boys leading her…

And Kowalski…

A near stumble into the sewage made her truly wake up. _Come on, Anna! Pay attention!_

_ Isn't that Marlene's sewer cap above my head?_

Meanwhile, Kowalski realized that Skipper must have seen them dancing. _I have to get away! _He realized, and dove into the water.

_Hopefully I can hold my breath long enough to make him think I was never here…but probably not. How can I explain away what he might have seen? If Skipper realizes that I can't obey the direct order to stay away from Anna, he might make them leave. Or us. What do I do?_

_ Funny, _Kowalski thought, _I can come up with options to get out of a potentially life-threatening situation in 3.9847 seconds, but when it comes to love…_

He swam down as deep as he could, and tried to hide beneath the circular window lip as best as possible. It was difficult, since about half of him was still visible, but he did his best. It was all he had to work with.

Above him, he could hear Skipper stomping around, obviously frustrated. And then was the feminine slur that was Marlene's voice, and then an angry shout from Skipper.

And that was when a large, glowing light sliced through the water, nearly grazing Kowalski's shoulder as it passed and bounced off the bottom of the pool. He recoiled in shock; it was a flare. Skipper knew he was down there, and he was desperate for an answer to his call.

Mustering up his courage, Kowalski promised himself that no matter what happened, no matter what was said, he wouldn't deny Anna. It had to be done eventually; Skipper had to realize that Kowalski had strong feelings for Anna and that was that.

He burst up onto the platform, and Skipper turned on him.

"Kowalski! Explain yourself!"

Kowalski looked his commander in his eyes. "I love her, Skipper."

"Excuse me?" Skipper asked, who sounded disbelieving.

"I love Anna, and nothing you say can make me change my mind." Kowalski spoke proudly, and saw Marlene give him a thumbs up on her way back to the habitat. Then she mouthed something he could barely read.

It was; _Where's Anna?_

He tipped his head down towards the H.Q., almost imperceptibly, and she nodded and walked off.

"I don't really care what you think, Kowalski," Skipper says, shattering his momentary silence. "I think that would have been clear after several years of working with me. You can think whatever you want; it's what you do that bothers me. I cannot, will not, allow you to become involved in love."

"Skipper, with all due respect…no. I love Anna, and I intend to show it. You can command me during our missions, and tell me to do whatever you want concerning our job and common interest, but as for anything else, I'm practically a grown up. I can take care of myself, and Anna." Kowalski had never felt so sure of himself before in his life.

Skipper was shocked into silence. _Maybe Kowalski isn't as young as I thought, after all. _"…ok."

Kowalski nearly fell over with shock. _I must have heard that wrong, _he thought. "What?"

"Ok." Skipper shrugged. "You can do what you wish, just…be careful. I can't afford to find another options guy."

Kowalski grinned. "Thank you, Skipper. Besides, it's Anna."

Skipper laughed a little, tensely, but still. "I guess that's right. Never mind."

As Marlene stepped into her habitat, she was shocked when she saw Anna, half-crying, half-laughing, in the corner. "Anna! What's wrong?"

Anna jumped. "Oh, h-hey Marlene. Nothing's wrong."

Marlene ran over to her. "Then why are you crying?"

"Because…oh…I kissed Kowalski!" Anna confessed, burying her face in her hands.

Marlene's eyes widened. "Well, congratulations! Why are you crying?"

"Because…because…I shouldn't have!"

"But, why? You love him, he loves you…what's wrong with that?" Marlene wrapped an arm around the young penguin.

"I shouldn't get him involved with me. He deserves someone amazing, and perfect, and someone who isn't waiting around to get back on the fast track towards death." Anna said, hiccupping a bit.

"Oh, Anna!" Marlene said, laughing a little. "Kowalski loves _you. _Not someone else, _you. _Evidently you're perfect enough for him. And about your cancer…well, he knows about it. And who did he kiss?"

"Me." Anna smiled a bit. "He kissed me. He said he loved me."

"He WHAT?" Millie burst into the room. "POINDEXTER DID WHAT?"

Marlene and Anna both burst out laughing.

"Oh, Millie," Anna said, wiping away her tears. "Don't call him that."

"But you should have heard him defending you to Skipper." Marlene said, turning back to Anna, "It was the sweetest thing ever."

"Oh, did he get in trouble?" Anna cried, jumping to her feet. "I should go and get in trouble too. It is my fault as well as his." She started walking towards the sewer cover again, and Millie jumped up too.

"I should go with you." Millie said, trying to follow her.

"You should stay here," Anna said, smiling, as she pushed Millie back into the middle of the room.

Marlene nodded. "You forget how old Anna is now, Millie. She can take care of herself."

Millie sat on the floor, staring at the spot where her sister had been. She was used to standing up for Anna; when Anna had been sick, kids had made fun. Anna was too shy to stand up for herself, so her twin had. It was a role that they had both conformed to over the years. It was normal, natural. It had shaped their characters with clarity.

But now, she realized that she didn't have to take of her twin anymore. Anna was sixteen. She could take care of herself, surely?

"Ok, I guess you're right." Millie said slowly, picking herself up off the floor.

Anna arrived on the scene moments after the last words had been said. Before her confidence drained away, Anna started to talk to Skipper. "It isn't just Kowalski's fault; its mine too. Don't blame him, Skipper. I'm sorry, but I have to say it; you can't make me stop loving him."

Skipper felt something between anger and humor. _Is today national stand up to Skipper day? First Marlene, then Kowalski, now (of all people) Anna? _ "It's ok, Anna." He said, allowing his anger to fade away. "Kowalski and I already sorted it out, and you two are free to be 'in love'."

Anna smiled, turned to Kowalski, and rolled her eyes as if to say _'Well, nothing was stopping that either way'. _ And he winked at her as if to say _'We know that, but he doesn't', _and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

Skipper had to admit, they did make a pretty nice couple.

Anna allowed her heart to race ahead of her mind as she leaned against her new, she hardly dared think it, boyfriend. _I must be dreaming, _she thought.

Kowalski simply lead her away, across the street, towards the party where the music was still playing.


	6. Relapse

But heaven on earth was not to last forever.

After a few perfect weeks of scary movies, (during which Anna flinched in Kowalski's arms) fountain side talks, and laughter, Kowalski was pulled aside by Skipper. It was a wonderful summer day, the sunshine glinting off of the pavement, and Anna was playing an impromptu game of tag with her twin.

"Look, Kowalski," Skipper began, pulling his 'options guy' away from the crowd. "We have to go."

"What do you mean, Skipper?" Kowalski asked, feeling that sinking feeling in stomach that didn't bode well.

"I mean," Skipper leaned in close, "Blowhole has been spotted. We have to pursue, and try to annihilate. We have to leave first thing in the a.m."

"But…but, Skipper…" Kowalski turned to find Anna, chasing her sister Millie around the park. Her smile was frozen on her face as she ran, her feathers flying out behind her, her eyes shining. "I can't."

"You have to. Direct orders." Skipper turned to leave, paused, and sighed. "I'm sorry."

And then he walked away, leaving Kowalski wondering what he should do.

Kowalski decided not to tell Anna about Blowhole. It was safer, he thought, for her, if she didn't know. If she knew, she might let something slip to someone she shouldn't. Blowhole might find out that she was an…er, important…figure in the penguins lives and hold her hostage or something; he couldn't put her in that kind of danger. Besides, he tried to tell himself, we won't be gone long.

_Yea, right._

He tried to brush that thought away and enjoy his time with Anna, but he felt guilty. Something didn't seem right about keeping it from her, but he had to. At least, he told himself he had to. Part of his mind wondered if he just didn't want to have to let her know he was leaving.

After she fell asleep, (her and Millie, of course), the boys began to pack. But poor Kowalski was so scattered in his mind he could barely keep his inventions straight. He found himself gazing at her instead of completing his orders, wishing he knew what she was thinking, wishing he had told her.

Wishing he didn't have to.

That morning, he was awakened by Skipper tapping him on the shoulder. "Come on, Kowalski, time to go." He whispered, and leapt off to continue packing the 'strategically' pink car.

Kowalski shook himself into consciousness. _Come on, Kowalski. Time to go. Mission to do. _But the more he realized he had to go, the more he wanted to stay. Why was this so hard? He had been gone on millions of missions, never given it a second thought. This H.Q. was a matter a convenience, not necessity.

But Anna is a necessity, he realized painfully.

As Rico and Private clambered into the car, Kowalski pretended to have forgotten his clipboard. He ran back inside the secret hideout, and saw Anna still sleeping. He clambered up to her bunk, quietly, and kissed her forehead.

"I promise I'll come back." He whispered, "So don't worry, Anna."

And then he left the H.Q., perhaps forever.

For just like there are no rules in love and war, there are also no guarantees.

When Anna woke up, it was late morning. The sun was gleaming in through a crack in the H.Q. door; someone had left the fishbowl ajar slightly.

_What happened?_ She asked herself, and climbed out of bed. She had such a headache. _Maybe it was that movie. You know you don't like scary movies, Anna,_ she remembered, shuddering as the scenes blurred through her head again.

She glanced over at the boys' side of the room, and they were all gone. Not unusual, so she hopped up and began to prepare breakfast, as always. She had some what taken over the entire menu since she had moved in, since she loved cooking. I guess all French do, to an extent.

She had fish sizzling in the frying pan, coffee on the stove, and was listening to the satisfying sound of silence. It pressed against her eardrums, making her hum one of her favorite songs in the absolute quiet. And then she reached for Skipper's coffee cup, since she usually filled it as they came in from training.

But it was gone. Frowning, Anna searched the kitchen corner, and couldn't find a single cup.

_But I know I put it up right here…_and then Anna felt the color drain from her face. She ran back into the lab, and all of Kowalski's tools and inventions were gone. All of Rico's dynamite was gone. All of Private's stuff was gone.

Their beds were vacant, yes, but they were also _empty. _The blankets were gone, the pillows were gone.

Everything was gone. Even the penguins themselves.

So Anna broke down and cried.

Millie and Marlene found her, sobbing quietly, in the lab a few minutes later.

"Anna?" asked a groggy Millie, "What's wrong?"

"They're g-gone…" she whispered, feeling faint. "They left us, Millie. Just like…that."

"What?" Marlene asked, confused, and Millie flew around the room like Anna had done. Suddenly, Millie cursed and spun on her heels. Anna was right.

"They **are** gone! Those two-faced-"

"Millie!" Anna said sharply.

"I'm sorry," Millie grumbled, jumping up to save the burning fish. "But where did they go?"

"Yea, and why?" Anna asked, swallowing her panic. The penguins were military operatives, she reminded herself. They knew what they were doing.

Marlene sighed. "This is what I meant by commando universe. They live for the thrill of running off and coming back, knowing that we all are perplexed by their thrilling tales and dashing adventures. Quite honestly, I'm surprised they hadn't left before now."

"But when will they back?" But by 'they', Anna meant Kowalski, and everyone in the room knew it.

"In a few hours," Marlene said, walking off. "Don't worry."

But day after day past. Anna became desolate, and unresponsive. Something inside her was broken, and nothing could seem to cheer her up like it had before. Not candy, not board games, not anything. Not even a successful breakthrough on her book.

She became reclusive, and wouldn't come out of her 'shell' unless someone specifically asked her something. Even then, one-wording became her disease.

Millie and Marlene tried everything they could, but nothing would work.

"It's that stupid penguin, Kowalski," Millie hissed one day, after they had found Anna crying in the lab, trying to tell them later that everything was fine. "If he so much as comes near Anna again, I'll deck him. I knew she still needed me to protect her. I knew it."

"He didn't tell her he was leaving?" Marlene asked, feeling a little angry at the intellectual male herself. "How could he not do that? I thought they were in a relationship."

"I don't know, but they aren't in a relationship anymore." Millie said, stabbing the pencil into the rock-slab table. "He's lying jerk who needs to stay away from her forever!"

But Anna wouldn't let Millie talk like that. "Please don't," she would say, when she heard, "It isn't his fault."

Millie wanted to scream that it was his fault; that only he had caused her to be this disturbed, and that he was the one she wanted to hurt so badly. Somehow, though, Millie managed to hold her tongue around Anna. She didn't want to disturb her twin anymore; lately, Anna had begun to shake again. It was becoming more frequent, and suddenly, she started having fainting spells. Millie was afraid of a relapse.

And as the days turned into weeks, Anna got worse. Her conditions began to increase, and her heart rate became unstable again. She got paler, she spoke less, her eyes got dimmer. She seemed listless, and sick.

Then came the night when Millie woke up because Anna had rolled over off of her bunk and had fallen on the floor. Anna was trembling, her heart rate soaring, and she obviously couldn't breathe easily. Her beak was open, as if imploring for air, but her lungs were collapsing.

Millie realized with a jolt the symptoms of relapse, and ran to retrieve the box of pills she always had hidden inside the stick of fake dynamite.

"Here," she said, with trembling flippers, and Anna took the tiny red capsule from her sister, nearly dropping the pill she was shaking so much. She swallowed it in one gulp. Within seconds, Anna was comatose from the medication, and Millie put her back up on her bunk.

And then, poor Millie made sure no one was watching. After she was positive she was alone on all counts, she broke down crying herself.

There was only so much that Millie could do to take care of her sister. Anna never complained, but she didn't have to. Millie knew that this was already worse than any other relapse she had ever had. Nearly every night, Millie had to give her twin a double dose of something strong to make her fall asleep; otherwise, the pain was too great.

Millie needed someone to hold on to in the time of crisis. As did Anna. Marlene tried to help, but to tell the truth, Anna suddenly terrified Marlene. Marlene didn't know what to do around her. She had never seen someone so sick. She was a fish out of water, and decided to stay out of the way.

The lemurs didn't give the remaining penguins a second thought. They simply went on about their business, and rarely even thought of poor Anna.

No one ever stopped by to see what was happening, to see if they could help. All they did was whisper about Anna; her symptoms, her medication, how long she supposedly had left. Some claimed to have heard Millie declare death within a week (which was a rumor) and others said within a day.

Yet every day Anna beat the odds, and woke up. Every day, the new odds stacked against her like blocks, or dominos in a chain. One wrong move brings the whole thing crashing down.

And when that 'thing' is Anna, you can't just put it back together.

Feeling depressed, Millie started taking sleeping pills every night when Anna did. Otherwise, she was up all night waiting for Anna to cry out, or gasp for air. Sometimes, on those nights when Anna was worse, Millie cursed the names of those she had known, sometimes, she cried them out softly, as if wishing they'd return to her.

But one name was scorn for her, and that poisoned all the others; guilty by association.

Kowalski.

Merely mentioning that name made Millie throw something. It was a reflex thing. Unfortunately, Anna usually began fading away towards night, and after the medicine was administered, she would usually whisper his name in her sleep. Millie knew that something worse than cancer was eating her up on the inside; heartbreak.

Anna began to slowly disappear around the edges, and took on the look of a ghost. Her earthly body was polished away, until only her soul shone through with strength. In Millie's eyes, she looked like a tortured spirit, wandering the netherworld before being called away. It almost seemed like this earth wasn't hers to walk anymore; she gained a strange look in her eye that told Millie she rarely saw anyone around her when she was awake.

Once, Millie thought that Anna was asleep. So she had sat up in the lab with a fizzy soda and had allowed herself a good cry. She knew that Anna didn't have much longer to live, and she couldn't seem to get that terribly tortuous thought out of her head.

And then she felt a timid, weak flipper rest on her shoulder. "Millie?" a soft voice uttered, "Why are you crying?"

Millie started. "Oh, oh, oh! Anna!" she sobbed, forgetting she had stoically promised herself she wouldn't mention it around her sister. "You're…you're…"

"I know." Anna muttered, sitting down besides her twin, speaking calmly. "I know I'm dying, Millie. I've known for a long while."

"Aren't you frightened?" Millie stuttered, sounding scared herself.

Anna considered. "I suppose I'm frightened of the moment of death, but I'm not scared of dying."

"What d-do you mean?"

"I mean, since I know what comes after death, it isn't scary to me. I just worry a little about the final moment, and what I'll remember about it." Anna spoke so quietly, Millie had to stoop to listen. "If I knew that my friends were crying, and upset, I wouldn't be very comforted at all. But if they understood that dying is natural, and we all have to 'go' someday, I suppose I'd be alright."

"Oh, Anna, dying is natural, but not dying like this!" Millie gestured towards Anna, and buried her face in her flippers .

Anna smiled, a small, twitching smile, as if she was amused at what Mille had said. "All death comes when the penguin is ready. Not a moment sooner."

"Then I'll do my best to make sure you AREN'T ready!" Millie said, rising up, already ashamed of her outburst.

Anna laughed faintly, and stopped abruptly, clutching her chest. She grimaced, and gripped the science table-top for support.

"Anna!" Millie cried, fumbling to retrieve the pills. _Stupid child-proof lock, _she thought, unable to open it fast enough.

"No, no," Anna said breathlessly, "I'm fine. Really." And she stood up and tried to walk away towards the bunk, but she gasped and fell.

And no one was there to catch her.

Kowalski felt terrible about having left Anna, but he was overjoyed when, after three months, he was finally heading home. When they arrived at the Central Park Zoo, Kowalski and his teammates walked towards their habitat and went inside.

Millie was there, crying, clutching a half-opened bottle of cough syrup.

And they knew that something terrible was wrong.

"Millie?" Skipper said, shocked.

Millie jumped and spun around, tears glittering on her cheeks. And they saw sudden, instant, consuming anger written in her every pore. "You." She hissed, and she ran at Kowalski, allowing the bottle to slip through her fingers and shatter on the floor.

Kowalski leapt out of her way, and dove into the lab. He wasn't about to hit Anna's twin.

"Millie? What's wrong?" Skipper asked, and Private joined in. "Are you ok?"

"Ok?" Millie sounded hysterical. "You guys leave for months and months and you show up after all I've been through and ask if I'm ok?" she froze, like she couldn't even think straight, and then she sobbed. "It's…it's…Anna!"

And Kowalski, who had been hoping Anna was in the science lab, burst into the room. "What about Anna? Is she ok?"

"N-no!" Millie was too disturbed to even be upset at him. "She-she had a relapse! Right after you left. And it's horrible…I don't think…she's gonna make it…"

Kowalski felt that sinking lead feeling again. "Where is she?"

"Outside, in the…the…" Millie pointed through her tears, and suddenly broke down again. But Rico was there, wrapping his flippers around her, comforting her by whispered gibberish in her ear.

But Kowalski had already gone.

When he heard the word 'outside', he knew immediately where Anna was. In her favorite spot outside the zoo, in-between two trees.

And there she was, with her back to him, and he felt his heart lurch, and then plummet. _What if she hates me now? What if she never loves me again? _

"Anna." He called, without thinking, and she spun faster than he had ever seen her move.

"Kowalski!" she cried out, reaching for him as she tried to run, but she stumbled and fell.

"Are you alright?" he asked, concerned. He was by her side in an instant.

"I'm fine, just really messed up from the meds I'm on." She tried to sound witty and carefree, but her voice shook with the effort of talking. As he helped her up he noticed how fragile she was, and she knew it.

They both knew she was dying.

"Oh, Anna…" Kowalski held her tightly, feeling sick at his stomach because of what had happened. "I'm never going to leave you again, darn the missions!"

"Don't say that." Anna said, with her eyes closed. "That's one of the things I love about you, Kowalski. You're so loyal to your country, and so brave. I know that leaving is something that you have to do, and I understand and don't blame you one bit."

He felt slightly more relieved, but only slightly. Nothing could change how light she was now, without substance, it seemed. And nothing could change the fact that only medicine was keeping her failing heart beating.

Nothing.

He ended up carrying her back to the H.Q., where the world was upside-down. Private was crying, while lying in his bunk; Skipper was barely keeping it together himself; Millie was sobbing into Rico's arms.

He laid Anna down on her bunk, gingerly, so she didn't break. She seemed so weak and transparent. He felt like he could see straight through her.

He himself felt like he couldn't stand. "How long does she have?" he asked, watching her face ruffle as her heart jolted again. "What can we do?"

Millie had calmed a bit. "There…isn't much…we can do now…"

"How long…?" Private whispered, asking it for Kowalski.

"A few days…" Millie said faintly. "Just…just a few days…"

Skipper saw what had to be done. He carefully approached Kowalski, and put a hand on his shoulder. Kowalski jumped.

"Look, we don't have to the tools to take care of her…maybe what we should do is turn her over to the humans." Skipper carefully broke it to his scientist.

"But I can take care of her! I know I can…if I could just find…" Kowalski couldn't let Anastasia get turned over to the humans! He had to take care of her! He had too! Besides, this whole problem was his fault, anyway. If he hadn't left her, if he had stayed to take care of her…

While this was going on in Kowalski's head, Skipper was slowly building up to his climatic speech.

"Look, I know you want to take care of her and all that. We all don't want her to go over into the hands of the humans. She's our sister. But, Kowalski, it's what's best for her." Skipper said.

"But…I know I can take care of her!" Kowalski burst out, stamping towards the lab. "I just need some medication, some metal plates…"

"Kowalski, she needs medical attention now." Skipper said, sighing. "This is her only chance."

Kowalski hesitated. _I can't do this, I can't! I love her!_ But he scooped her up into his arms again anyway, and carried her gently up outside. There, he set her down softly, and felt a lurch in his heart. The other guys weren't around, and on an in-describable impulse, Kowalski bent over her forehead and kissed her. Not on her lips; he still didn't dare do that.

They all joined him a few seconds later; Millie hiccupping while Rico helped her walk. "I have to…let me…" and she gently pushed Rico away, and ran over to Anna. "I love you, s-sis…" she gulped, and wiped her eyes with her flippers. "You have to g-get better, k?" and she hugged the unconscious Anna with her eyes shut, as if trying to forget why she even had to say goodbye.

Kowalski suddenly turned away, wiping his own eyes. No one made fun of him for it, and they all tried to act as though they hadn't seen.

And then Millie broke down again, and Rico came over and slowly pulled her away as Alice walked by the habitat. He didn't want Alice to think that it was Millie's fault that Anna had relapsed or anything, even though he didn't understand what that meant, other than the fact that Anna was dying.

They all squawked loudly to get Alice's attention.

She came over a few seconds later and gasped when she saw Anastasia. "My word! You stupid birds have gone and killed her!" and she took her off to the veterinary clinic, carrying her limp figure in one arm.

Of course, poor Kowalski didn't know what to think. On one hand, he felt terrible about what had happened to Anastasia and felt horribly responsible. Then, he hadn't known what to do to care for her, and that had made him feel stupid. After that, he had had to decide to give her up to the humans, which made him feel powerless. And after that, he had kissed her! His head was still spinning. Was feeling this many emotions all at once even possible?

"They can't treat her here," he mumbled, walking towards the veterinary clinic. "They'll have to ship her out to another zoo clinic. I have to be there to say goodbye."

Numbly, like zombies might, they others followed him out to a shipment truck.

Just like Kowalski had said, Anna was being carted away in a large, pine board crate. The vet was giving the driver urgent directions, and handing him printout maps. They were both mumbling words that Kowalski couldn't here. But that didn't really matter now.

The crate with Anna inside was sitting in the back of the truck, darkening as small specks of water flake the surface. A tiny drumming beat starts up, as water comes down faster and faster, coating the metal bumper, and leaving droplets hanging by a tiny thread of liquid.

_Just like Anna; hanging from a thread. _Kowalski thought morosely.

The truck engine starts, and exhaust rattles out the pipe. Small AC drops leaks off too, and a small, oily puddle condenses on the ground. Tiny, psychedelic rainbows are trapped inside, and that's all that's left when the truck drives off.

All that proves that Anna was ever there.


	7. The Final Words

As the weeks passed, the penguins settled into a routine. Millie called it, 'our daily struggle', and so it was.

Every day, no one spoke of Anna. It was the one thing that they could do to help each other, since it was too hard to bear on your own. No one mentioned her, when she was returning, what was happening, because no one wanted to think about it. There was no way of knowing if she was ever coming back.

Days were long, and uneventful. Conversations were short, and usually wet with a few tears. Millie seemed to have finally abandoned the tough girl act; it was simply too hard for her to be lively without her twin around to keep her in check.

But worse than Millie's suffering, was, I think, Kowalski's. He couldn't stop blaming himself for what had happened. Every night, he had terrible nightmares. And every night could barely prepare him for the haunting realization that when he woke up, the nightmare might come true.

Depressed, lonely, exhausted, Kowalski couldn't find anywhere to turn. He had to have his Anna; he _had _to. But Anna wasn't around anymore.

It wasn't until about three weeks after she had left for treatment that Kowalski found it.

Hidden in her bunk, beneath her pillow, was the same purple journal he had discovered in the crate the day he had met her. It was a little more worn, true, but the same nonetheless.

And Kowalski felt a wave of sadness wash over him as he saw it. This was Anna's personal journal and book. She wrote in here, nearly every day. In his minds eye he could see her again, with her pencil wrapped awkwardly in her flipper, drawing those squiggles he had worked so hard to know how to decipher.

Feeling a sudden urge to have some part of Anna with him, he flipped open the notebook. Tears welled in his eyes when he saw her name, written neatly in print, on the first page. Blinking them away, he glanced around. Everyone else was outside, so surely it wouldn't hurt to read a little?

He flipped to the second page, where the writing began.

_**This is the diary of Anastasia Weiss. **_

_** Don't read unless you have my permission!**_

Kowalski sniffed a bit, and gave the page a watery smile. _I'm sure Anna would be ok with me reading some of this… _he thought, _Especially if she isn't…_ but then he stopped that line of thought before it reached it's conclusion.

Feeling the need to read something that Anna had written about her life here at the zoo made Kowalski skip to the end of the diary, allowing the scribbled words to blur into looping ink pictures as he flipped. Finally, he saw a date he recognized.

_**August 16, 2009**_

_That's about a week before we came back. _

_**I think I'm getting worse. Sometimes it gets so hard to breathe, but Millie's here to help, so I guess it's not so bad as it would be without her. I worry about her sometimes, though. She seems so upset. I know she worries about me more than she should, and it's making her sick inside. I wish I could help her more, but I'm asleep most of the time now. She gives me more medicine than I really need.**_

_** I had another dream about Kowalski. This time, he left but never came back. That's different than all the others. I wonder if I'm losing hope in my mind, even if I don't know it yet. But I still think he'll return.**_

_** In fact, I know it.**_

_** August 17, 2009**_

_** It rained today. I think that helped my spirits a little, to see the world cry like that. I don't know why, but rain has always seemed far more beautiful to me than sunshine has. I guess its because you can't ever see a rainbow without it, and everyone needs a rainbow, right?**_

_** Marlene came by this morning, too. She looks nervous around me now, and whispers. I wish she would be herself; don't people know it is so comforting when they don't act differently around you, even when you're sick? I don't blame her though. I caught a glimpse of myself in a puddle this morning, because Millie let me out of bed for a little while. I looked like a zombie! It was so comical, it made me laugh. And then, I don't know why, but I started crying. I guess I just wished the rest of my family was here to laugh with me.**_

_** August 18 2009**_

_**I wonder if Kowalski ever misses me?**_

_How could I not miss you, Anna?_

_**August 19, 2009**_

_**I found Millie crying today, in the lab. She asked me if I was scared of death. At first, I wasn't sure what to say. I kinda am, to tell the truth, but not OF death, just the moment of. I told her why as well; because I wouldn't be at peace if everyone around me was sobbing, and begging me not to go. Somehow, I don't think the dying get much choice when they get to leave, and telling them not to go would be making them feel guilty for doing so. I think I helped her a little, but then (of course) I fainted. She gave me some more meds and I woke up a few hours later.**_

_**I know she's mad at Kowalski, and she thinks it's his fault. But it isn't. This would have happened no matter what he had done. He or anyone else, really! But I wish he was here, anyway, if for no other reason than to hold my hand when the time comes, and help me feel happy to leave the world when it does.**_

At this point, tears started dripping off of the end of Kowalski's beak, splattering the paper with colorless stains. He pulled his head back, not wanting to smear the writing which was so painfully familiar to him.

_**August 20, 2009**_

_**I can't breathe. It hurts to move at all. Headaches. Medicine isn't working anymore; immunity built up. Hard to see what I'm writing down. **_

_**I know I'm going to die very soon. I just wish I got to see Kowalski one last time.**_

Knowing that he was about to break down, Kowalski closed his eyes and flipped back in the journal several pages, as if trying to pretend that he hadn't ever read that, like time could rewind. When he settled on a page, Kowalski opened his eyes and started to read again. He wanted to read something that Anna had written when she was well. Something that the sweet, sunshiny Anna he knew would put down in her diary.

_**August 20, 2008**_

How he had flipped back exactly one year, Kowalski couldn't fathom. But when he started reading, his eyes widened. He remembered this day as well as Anna had.

_**The boys took me and Millie to the beach today! First time ever! It was so exciting! The waves were so, so, huge. I can't even describe them. They were enormous, and cold, and wet! I splashed around a bit with Private and, guess who, Kowalski! I felt so dizzy I almost couldn't breathe. We hunted for seashells together, rode some waves into shore, and got to talk. It was so perfect; it was just like a dream.**_

_**And then, on the way home, I got to sit next to him. I swear I was hyperventilating. He is just so…perfect. He's sweet, sensitive, (so smart, too)…I mean, I couldn't ask for someone more amazing than him. I really, truly, think I'm in love.**_

_**But when I got home, I was gluing shells up to my bunk roof, and he came over and helped me! We glued them up so I could see them at night, when I look up at the ceiling of my bed. They look like colorful, misshapen stars hanging there. But my favorite is right above my head, and I think it might be my favorite because Kowalski hung it up.**_

_**If Jennifer (oops, I mean, Millie) read this, she would tease me forever. So just in case she somehow gets a hold of this, I'd better keep the rest of my sentiment in my head.**_

Kowalski shut the journal slowly, after reading over that entry two or three more times. Just looking at her spell his name made his heart leap. _How could someone so angelic be so sick? _ He asked himself, over and over, feeling like he was stuck on repeat.

Clutching the journal to his chest, Kowalski carefully bent down the corner pertaining to that day. He had the feeling that he would want to read it again. Sneakily, in case someone else was watching, he stuffed it beneath his own pillow.

_Come home, Anna, _Kowalski thought, feeling his eyes fill again, _Come home._

And then came the day when another new penguin was introduced to the zoo.

The crate was made of pine wood, and it was stamped 'URGENT; FRAGILE!' on the side. It was hard for Kowalski to even look at it. It was just like the crate that…_someone_…had left in.

Skipper didn't ask Kowalski to open it; didn't even ask him for options. He knew how hard it was for Kowalski to even look at the box without tearing up. So Skipper, taking a crowbar from Rico, opened the crate.

Kowalski looked away. He didn't want to meet a new penguin, to see the way the sunlight glinted off of her beak, hovered on her eyelashes like drops of frozen gold. He wanted Anna. And she wasn't ever coming back, was she? When she left, she was simply too far gone.

He slapped himself mentally. He couldn't allow himself to think like that; Anna had believed in him. She had believed in him when he had left, and now it was Kowalski's turn to believe in her.

And that was when something light, and strawberry scented flung her arms around his neck, laughing with delight.

"Kowalski!" Anna cried, beaming and crying a bit at the same time. She had her face buried in his shoulder, as if she never wanted to let go of him.

And then Millie was hugging Anna, and crying and laughing, and they almost fell off the edge into the water. Kowalski drug them off of him, pulling Anna back so he could look into her green eyes, those eyes that he had seen so many times in his dreams. "Anna?" he whispered, not believing what he was seeing. "Is that…are you…?"

"Of course it's me, Kowalski! I'm here, and I'm well again, and everything's fine." She was so beautiful, with her eyes glowing like stars, her head feathers much shorter than they were when she had left. _Chemotherapy, _he realized, loving her all the better for it.

But then she turned to greet her sister and the others, and Kowalski had a moment to catch his breath. This was too right; too perfect. Something had to be wrong. Someone so truly breathtaking couldn't be his, could she?

And then Anna turned back to him, and kissed his cheek. She wrapped her arms around his neck again, and whispered, sounding so relived to be home. "I missed you." She said, closing her eyes.

And Kowalski realized in that moment that everything could be perfect, after all.


End file.
